DE not coating filter properly, pictures inside!

[zapados]

Hello ladies and gentlemen.

I've been having a problem this season with the DE not coating the filter membrane properly, and material flowing right back into the pool!

The first round I noticed a bunch of DE ending up in the pool, resulting in the dreaded "white sand" affect on the bottom of the pool. I thought maybe I didn't run the pump on high while adding DE the first time, so I re-did with the pump on high. I didn't notice as much DE back in the pool, but I was furiously vacuuming up the last batch of the stuff so I'm not sure how much was being added, if any. Anyways, it's been a week or 2 and I popped it open to find this.

https://imgur.com/a/UU8TP27

(same as attached files)

Any ideas what could be causing my DE to not stick? Not using enough?

It's been a bit of a rough opening this year! Hopefully this is the last problem to overcome for the season.

Thanks for your help!

 

[zapados]

What is this rubber part? Could this part not being installed be causing DE to get back into the pool somehow?

I couldn't find it on the parts breakdown for the filter or the pump listed in my signature!

Thanks for your help!

 

[mknauss]

Let's see if @Jimrahbe can help you out. I have no experience with DE filter parts.

 

[Richard320]

Hello ladies and gentlemen.

I've been having a problem this season with the DE not coating the filter membrane properly, and material flowing right back into the pool!

The first round I noticed a bunch of DE ending up in the pool, resulting in the dreaded "white sand" affect on the bottom of the pool. I thought maybe I didn't run the pump on high while adding DE the first time, so I re-did with the pump on high. I didn't notice as much DE back in the pool, but I was furiously vacuuming up the last batch of the stuff so I'm not sure how much was being added, if any. Anyways, it's been a week or 2 and I popped it open to find this.

https://imgur.com/a/UU8TP27

(same as attached files)

Any ideas what could be causing my DE to not stick? Not using enough?

It's been a bit of a rough opening this year! Hopefully this is the last problem to overcome for the season.

Thanks for your help!

The problem isn't "not coating" it's "going right through."
The filter looks iffy in photograph #2, like maybe the fabric split and that is some kind if internal screen support? Could just be shadow.

Second, I don't see part #7 laid out with the rest. Or #6, either. See the exploded diagram. Pentair Easyclean™ D.E. Filter Parts

 

[zapados]

@Richard320, I think that's just shadow. I did a full inspection on the filter, no tears, although the media tends to separate as you can see in the photo, instead of staying evenly scrunched up.

Regarding parts #7 & #6, if you look at the footnote for item 21, those are new items. Apparently I have the old system, "the Center Core, Cartridge Element, and Air Bleeder Sock Kit manufactured before 2014."

Hmmm before 2014...that's pretty old! Maybe a new filter setup alone would fix my issue?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Z,

I don't know anything about your specific DE filter, but the unknown part looks like it could be part of a one way valve of some type... If you found it inside the filter or as you were cleaning the cartridge, then it most likely came from the filter.. What is under the water in the bottom of the filter housing?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[zapados]

@Jimrahbe it was found inside the pump itself, which scares me.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Z,

What is this on page 7??? https://www.pentair.com/content/dam...stem_Installation_and_Users_Guide_English.pdf Check valve???

Jim R.

 

[zapados]

@Jimrahbe ahhh hmm, yeah, I'll check that out tomorrow!

Wish I knew what it was supposed to look like, but I haven't had any luck looking for pictures online. We'll see what's there tomorrow!

 

[zapados]

45 degree + rain, then a kid with the stomach bug...I haven't had time to mess with the filter yet! I'll let you know when I know.

 

[zapados]

Huh, the mystery continues. I blocked and drained, hoping to find some kind of valve in between the filter and return hose. There is none! So I don't really see how the rubber nipple would fit here...pretty sure this is not where it's from...but that doesn't answer the question of where the valve is either! Pretty sure I've never had it.... Pictures attached.

Any idea where to go from here?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Z,

I don't have any new ideas.. ?

Let's see if @JamesW has any ideas...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Is that the inlet or the outlet?

 

[zapados]

@JamesW, that's the outlet, back to the pool.

 

[JamesW]

Looks like you might be missing the air bleeder screen.

190106Z Air Bleeder

Did you backwash before opening the filter?

Your center top part looks different.

178626 Center Core Top, EC

 

[zapados]

It's been a little while, sorry for being slow on the update for this.

I found a rip in the filter! Well not really a rip, but a "disconnection" where the filter screen meets the rubber that makes up the top of the filter. It didn't seem big, but apparently it doesn't take much to eventually leak all that DE back into the pool.

I replaced the filter with another of the "old version" filter screens, put some more DE in, and am now giving it a week or so of running and then we'll see where we're at. I ran the pool robot and did see some DE in there, but it's hard to tell if it's "old" DE or "new" DE, so I can't draw any conclusions from that.

 

[zapados]

@JamesW, @Jimrahbe, @Richard320...since you guys have been so much help, I'm asking for a bit more, and I'll do my best to pay it forward!

So today I finally popped the guy open to see how the new filter was doing. Bad news....




It appears nothing is sticking to the element, and there is a good heap of DE on top of the filter body. Note, there is a black plastic "bubble" on top, so it's not really THAT heaped up, but there is certainly a good amount up there as you can see.

I'm feeling pretty stumped here. No idea how the DE is getting back into the pool or why the filter fingers aren't coated like they were in the past. Thanks for any help you can give me!